First report of Bursaphelenchus fungivorus(Nematoda: Aphelenchida) in Italy and an overview of nematodes associated with Crocus sativusL.

Saffron is one of the most precious spices in the world. It is derived from the dried stigmas of the Crocus sativusL. flowers. This plant is triploid sterile and propagated by corms. As a subterranean organ, the corm can come into contact with different nematodes. In this contribution Bursaphelenchus fungivoruswas reported for the first time in Italy. It was found associated with C. sativuscorms and characterized based on morphological and morphometrical characteristics for this species. The identification was confirmed using molecular analyses. Moreover, a review of nematodes associated with C. sativusworldwide is also provided.